DoEuropean Bosphorus

Sarıyer Bird Observatory Tower.

Nr 1 place in the city for birdwatching.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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EatEuropean Bosphorus
Güzelyer Yedigün Balık Lokantasi
Great seafood restaurant at the cost.
SeeAsian Bosphorus
Yoros Castle
It's as close as the casual visitor to Istanbul gets to the Black Sea. Not much of a vista but it allows you to appreciate the strategic significance of the Bosphorus.
SeeAsian Bosphorus
Anadolu Kavağı
Kavak
A village with an impressive citadel overlooking the Bosphorus and its mouth into the Black Sea. By land it's accessible only by a hairpinning road through the forest, with few buses. It's best reached by ferry from Eminönü (twice daily) or Sariyer (frequent). In the village, a road is signposted up to the hilltop Yoros citadel (a little more than 1 km, 20 min on foot, free admission). There's a pleasant area with cafés by the ferry pier; the place gets crowded at weekends during summer. Nasty big dogs stalk the citadel area at night. See Istanbul.
DoAsian Bosphorus
Joshua's Hill
Believed to be the tomb of the biblical Joshua, it's the steepest hill in Istanbul which is closest to the sea.